Pray thought: 2 Selected Messages p. 57.
"Faith in a lie will not have a sanctifying influence upon the life or character. No error is truth, or can be made truth by repetition, or by faith in it. Sincerity will never save a soul from the consequences of believing an error. Without sincerity there is no true religion, but sincerity in a false religion will never save a man. I may be perfectly sincere in following a wrong road, but that will not make it the right road, or bring me to the place I wished to reach. The Lord does not want us to have a blind credulity, and call that the faith that sanctifies. The truth is the principle that sanctifies, and therefore it becomes us to know what is truth. We must compare spiritual things with spiritual. We must prove all things, but hold fast only that which is good, that which bears the divine credentials, which lays before us the true motives and principles which should prompt us to action."--Letter 12, 1890. 2 Selected Messages p. 57.
Rev 1:1-3
1 The Revelation
of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him[Jesus], to shew unto
his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified
it by his angel unto his servant John:
2 Who bare record
of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things
that he saw.
3 Blessed is
he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep
those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
The way truth is given, shown in the 1st verse of Revelation & Zechariah 4, is:
The Scripture was given by the Holy Spirit and can only be revealed by the Holy Spirit. Only a prophet by the will of God is able to say what the symbols of the Bible mean. Therefore, we living in the last days need to be looking for a prophet. There is much to be understood in the Bible pertaining to us today. We have the promise; "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.
Rev 19:10
10 And I fell
at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I
am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus:
worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.
Angels are our fellow Servants--They also have the testimony of Jesus. NOTE: He is "OF" the brothren that has the testimony of Jesus.
Isa 8:20
20 To the law
and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them.
The Holy Spirit will not contradict himself with new light. As the Scroll unrolls new light will brighten what we already have.
Ps 119:105
105 Thy word
is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy are to light our way to heaven--they are both the words of the Lord. The Spirit of Prophecy is not to be held over the Bible, the understanding that it is never to contradict the teachings of the Bible. It is to shed light upon our way who are living in these last days.
2 Tim 3:16-17
16 All scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man
of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Isa 28:10
10 For precept
must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line;
here a little, and there a little:
Deut 32:2
2 My doctrine
shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small
rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
Isa 1:18
18 Come now,
and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall
be as wool.
God expects us to use our minds. He wants us to come to him and understand what is truth for ourselves.
2 Tim 2:15
15 Study to shew
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.
If we do not study for ourselves we will be lost.
Prov 2:1-6
1
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge
of God.
6
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Hard to be lost, easy to be saved.
Matt 11:28-30
28 Come unto
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall
find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke
is easy, and my burden is light.
1 Tim 6:1
1 Let as many
servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour,
that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
Isa 28:9
9 Whom shall
he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them
that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
A True Prophet
does not lie. Jer. 28:9
Prophecies in
the Name of the Lord. 2 Peter 1:20
Does not give
personal interpretation of prophecy. 2 Peter 1:20
A true prophet
points out sins against God. Isaiah 58:1
Warns of Gods
coming judgements. Isaiah 24:20-21; Revelation 14:6-7
A True Prophet
edifies the church, council, advises in religious matters. 1Cor. 14:3-4.
A True Prophet
will agree with all prophets that have come before him. Isaiah 8:20
Will recognize
the incarnation of Jesus Christ. 1John 4:1-3
A True Prophet
will be reconized by his works. Matthew 7:16-20
A True Prophet
acts in accordance with the will of God, does not play around with the
spirit world. Deuteronomy 18:19.
In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end. Here is the complement of the book of Daniel. One is a prophecy; the other a revelation. The book that was sealed is not the Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel relating to the last days. The angel commanded, "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end." Daniel 12:4.
The Jews tried to stop the proclamation of the message that had been predicted in the Word of God; but prophecy must be fulfilled. The Lord says, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" (Mal. 4:5). Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say, "You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message."
There are many who cannot distinguish between the work of God and that of man. I shall tell the truth as God gives it to me, and I say now, If you continue to find fault, to have a spirit of variance, you will never know the truth, Jesus said to His disciples, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (John 16:12). They were not in a condition to appreciate sacred and eternal things; but Jesus promised to send the Comforter, who would teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance, whatsoever He had said unto them. Brethren, we must not put our dependence in man. "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?" (Isa. 2:22). You must hang your helpless souls upon Jesus. It does not become us to drink from the fountain of the valley, when there is a fountain in the mountain. Let us leave the lower streams; let us come to the higher springs. If there is a point of truth that you do not understand, upon which you do not agree, investigate, compare scripture with scripture, sink the shaft of truth down deep into the mine of God's Word. You must lay yourselves and your opinions of the altar of God, put away your preconceived ideas, and let the Spirit of Heaven guide you into all truth.
If all that appears to be divine life were such in reality; if all who profess to present the truth to the world were preaching for the truth and not against it, and if they were men of God guided by His Spirit,--then might we see something cheering amid the prevailing moral darkness. But the spirit of antichrist is prevailing to such an extent as never before. Well may we exclaim: "Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men." I know that many think far too favorably of the present time. These ease-loving souls will be engulfed in the general ruin. Yet we do not despair. We have been inclined to think that where there are no faithful ministers there can be no true Christians, but this is not the case. God has promised that where the shepherds are not true He will take charge of the flock Himself. God has never made the flock wholly dependent upon human instrumentalities. But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor.
The days are fast approaching when there will be great perplexity and confusion. Satan, clothed in angel robes, will deceive, if possible, the very elect. There will be gods many and lords many. Every wind of doctrine will be blowing. Those who have rendered supreme homage to "science falsely so called" will not be the leaders then. Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. There are precious ones now hidden who have not bowed the knee to Baal. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you. But it may be under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a genuine Christian character will be revealed. In the day time we look toward heaven but do not see the stars. They are there, fixed in the firmament, but the eye cannot distinguish them. In the night we behold their genuine luster.
The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ's righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness.
When trees without fruit are cut down as cumberers of the ground, when multitudes of false brethren are distinguished from the true, then the hidden ones will be revealed to view, and with hosannas range under the banner of Christ. Those who have been timid and self-distrustful will declare themselves openly for Christ and His truth. The most weak and hesitating in the church will be as David--willing to do and dare. The deeper the night for God's people, the more brilliant the stars. Satan will sorely harass the faithful; but, in the name of Jesus, they will come off more than conquerors. Then will the church of Christ appear "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners."
Peter exhorts his brethren to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Whenever the people of God are growing in grace, they will be constantly obtaining a clearer understanding of His word. They will discern new light and beauty in its sacred truths. This has been true in the history of the church in all ages, and thus it will continue to the end. But as real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the light already received from God's word and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become conservative and seek to avoid discussion.
The fact that there
is no controversy or agitation among God's people should not be regarded
as conclusive evidence that they are holding fast to sound doctrine. There
is reason to fear that they may not be clearly discriminating between truth
and error. When no new questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures,
when no difference of opinion arises which will set men to searching the
Bible for themselves to make sure that they have the truth, there will
be many now, as in ancient times, who will hold to tradition and worship
they know not what.
I have been shown that many who profess to have a knowledge of present truth know not what they believe. They do not understand the evidences of their faith. They have no just appreciation of the work for the present time. When the time of trial shall come, there are men now preaching to others who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason. Until thus tested they knew not their great ignorance. And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe; but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth. Certain it is that there has been among us a departure from the living God and a turning to men, putting human in place of divine wisdom.